Canister with a closure securing member

ABSTRACT

A canister ( 1 ) incluing a container wall ( 31 ) and a container insert ( 33 ) which is connected to the container wall ( 31 ) in a positive-locking manner, and a cover wall ( 51 ) and a cover insert ( 53 ) which is connected to the cover wall ( 51 ) in a positive-locking manner. The container insert ( 33 ) and the cover insert ( 53 ) each include a closure connection ( 35, 55 ) for connecting the cover ( 5 ) to the container ( 3 ) in a manner that is releasable again in a closed position. In addition, the container insert ( 33 ) and the cover insert ( 53 ) include cooperating securing elements ( 37, 57 ) which secure the cover ( 5 ) to the container ( 3 ) in a positive-locking manner in the closed position.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The following documents are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth: Swiss Patent Application 00763/20, Filed Jun. 24, 2020.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a canister with a closure securing member.

BACKGROUND

Different embodiments of canisters are known. They can, for example, be produced from metal and/or plastics material and comprise a container which delimits a receiving space for a filling material. In order to remove filling material from the receiving space, the container comprises a removal opening which can be closed again by a cover of the canister.

It is known to provide in canisters a closure securing member which secures the cover in the closed position and which thereby prevents inadvertent or undesirable opening, or at least makes it more difficult, particularly by children. It is possible to open the cover only when the action of the closure securing member is placed out of operation at least temporarily by a user action. In order to open child-resistant covers, two different manipulations generally have to be carried out simultaneously or successively.

A canister, the cover of which comprises an annular insert having an inner thread for fixing to the container, is known from the patent U.S. Pat. No. 10,232,990 B2. The exterior of the canister may be produced from metal or plastics material. The annular insert is rotatable about the screw axis of the inner thread on the cover base and is supported in a displaceable manner in the direction of the screw axis. The annular insert and an additional ring which is rigidly connected to the cover base comprise mutually opposite teeth. The tooth rings are decoupled from each other by resilient force. In order to open the cover, the tooth rings are connected or engaged with each other by applying a pressing force to the cover base in the direction of the screw axis. By pulling at the same time, the screw closure can be released and the cover can be separated from the container.

In such canisters, the cover is retained in a closed position on the container only by the frictional engagement of the screw thread. In the case of inadequate retention force, the screw closure can, for example, become loose as a result of powerful shaking or vibrations. Since the cover base or the outer shell of the cover and the thread insert are connected to each other only loosely or can be rotated and displaced relative to each other, the striking of the cover base on the thread insert can further promote loosening of the screw connection. In addition, the components of the cover which are loosely connected to each other can cause rattling noises when the canister is moved. Such loosely supported cover shells may convey the impression of instability. Since the outer shell of the cover in the closed position of the cover does not have any clearly defined position, portions of inscriptions or other printed matter on the container and on the cover are also not in a defined orientation relative to each other.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a canister with a closure securing member which effectively retains the canister cover in the closed position counter to unintentional opening.

This object is achieved by a canister having one or more features according to the present disclosure.

The canister comprises a container having a removal opening and a cover for closing the removal opening. The container and the cover each comprise a closure connection which are adapted to each other, for example, threaded ribs of a screw closure, protruding and recessed structures of a bayonet closure or edge portions which overlap each other in the closed position and which are thereby connected to each other in a non-positive-locking manner. The container and the cover each comprise a wall and an insert, on which the respective closure connection is arranged.

In order to close the canister, the cover is moved into a closed position relative to the container in accordance with the respective closure connection. The container insert and the cover insert comprise securing elements which are adapted to each other and with which the cover can be secured to the container in the closed position.

At least one of the securing elements is arranged on a resiliently deformable portion of the cover insert or the container insert. The securing elements comprise contact faces which move into abutment with each other when the cover is closed. At least one of these contact faces is inclined relative to the closure direction so that the securing element is urged out of the rest position thereof at the resiliently deformable portion when the cover is closed so that the cover can be moved into the closed position. At the latest when the closed position is reached, the securing elements lock in a positive-locking manner with respect to the respective movement direction. The resiliently deformable portion(s) of the cover and/or container insert can also be deformed by an external force action. The respective securing elements are thereby urged out of the rest position or blocking position thereof into a release position and the closure can be opened.

Preferably, the container wall is at least partially produced from metal. The container wall can be produced, in particular integrally, from a deep-drawn and/or otherwise shaped metal sheet. In additional embodiments, the container wall or portions thereof can be produced from one or more materials, such as, for example, plastics materials, metals or wood materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to Figures, a number of exemplary embodiments of the canister according to the invention are described in greater detail below. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a first canister with a closed cover,

FIG. 2 shows the canister of FIG. 1 with an open cover,

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cover from FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an exploded illustration of a second canister,

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the cover of the canister from FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 shows elements of the lower portion from FIG. 5, which elements can be connected to each other in a positive-locking manner,

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the partially cut-away canister from FIG. 4 with a closed cover,

FIG. 8 shows two detailed cross-sections of the canister from FIG. 4 with locked or unlocked securing elements,

FIG. 9 shows an additional canister with an open cover,

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the cover of the canister from FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 shows two side views of the cover from FIG. 9,

FIG. 12 shows a container insert and a cover insert of the canister from FIG. 9,

FIG. 13 shows an additional canister with a closed cover,

FIG. 14 shows the canister from FIG. 13 with the cover open,

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the container of the canister from FIG. 13,

FIG. 16 is a side view of the container from FIG. 13, and

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of the canister from FIG. 13.

DETSILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a closed canister 1, wherein a cover 5 is connected to a container 3 in a closed position and a removal opening 30 of the container 3 is preferably tightly closed in this instance. FIG. 2 shows the container 3 and the cover 5 with the canister 1 open as a perspective view, wherein the inner side of the container 3 and the cover 5 can be seen. In addition, FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the cover 5.

The container 3 comprises a container wall 31 which is preferably produced from a deep-drawn metal sheet and a container insert 33 which is connected to this container wall 31. The mutual freedom of movement of the container wall 31 and the container insert 33 can be limited, for example, by projecting and/or recessed structures which undercut each other with respect to one or more movement directions and/or by the geometric shape of these portions. In particular, the freedom of movement can be limited to such an extent that the portions are connected to each other at least approximately non-movably with respect to translational movements in the direction of a container axis A and/or with respect to movements orthogonal to the container axis A, such as, for example, rotational movements about the container axis A.

Similarly, the freedom of movement of the cover insert 53 which is connected to the cover wall 51 is also limited relative to the cover wall 51.

In canisters 1, the container wall 31 and/or cover wall 51 of which are produced from sheet metal, for example, inwardly formed beaded rims 39, 59 can be used as stop elements for structures which project radially outwardly on the container insert 33 or on the cover insert 53, such as, for example, rib portions 41, 61 (FIG. 4). Preferably, these rib portions 41, 61 have a wedge-like cross-section. When the cover insert 53 is pressed in the direction of a cover axis B into the cover wall 51, the beaded rim 59 is resiliently deformed outward by the slightly inclined faces of the rib portions 61 with respect to the cover axis B and subsequently jumps back into the rest position thereof again as soon as the cover insert 53 and therefore also the rib portions 61 reach the end position thereof behind the beaded rim 59. The cover insert 53 is thereby connected to the cover wall 51 in a positive-locking manner with respect to translational movements in the direction of the cover axis B. The retention force of this connection can be fixed by the shape of the beaded rim 59 and/or by the shape and the radial projection of the rib portions 61. A high retention force can be brought about, for example, in that the beaded rim 59 or at least a portion of the beaded rim 59 is bent over only to such an extent that abutment faces of one or more rib portions 61 directly abut the edge of the bent-over cover wall 51 and/or in that the abutment faces of the rib portions 61 are orientated at least approximately orthogonally relative to the cover axis B.

In such arrangements, the retention force may be so large that a non-destructive separation of the portions is impossible. The necessary pulling force for separating the portions is so large in this case that the beaded rim 59 or the rib portions 61 are plastically deformed. Cover walls 51, in which the metal sheet is formed by, for example, 270° or more, at the beaded rim 59, can, however, be separated from the cover insert 53 again comparatively easily by resiliently deforming the beaded rim 59 again.

In the embodiments of the canister 1 shown, the cover wall 51 and the cover insert 53 comprise annular or generally frame-like edges 52, 54 which overlap and abut each other in the connected state. The freedom for relative movements of the two portions in one plane orthogonal to the cover axis B is thereby limited. In the specific case of circular edges 52, 54, only rotations about the cover axis B are possible.

The rib portions 61 are arranged so as to be distributed along the edge 54 and project radially at this edge 54. The outer side of the edge 54 comprises at least at one location, for example, at four locations between two adjacent rib portions 61, a radial recess or indentation 63. The edge 52 of the cover wall 51 comprises at the corresponding locations of the inner side projections 64 which project radially inwardly. In the case of cover walls 51 comprising sheet metal, these projections 64 may be, for example, regions of the beaded rim 59 which project radially inwardly locally further than the adjoining regions. If the cover insert 53 is connected to the cover wall 51, the projections 64 are in engagement with the recesses 63. As a result of this positive-locking connection of structures at the edges 52, 54, the cover insert 53 and the cover wall 51 are connected to each other in a rotationally secure manner.

The container insert 33 can be connected to the container wall 31 in a similar manner to the connection of the cover insert 53 to the cover wall 51. In this case, a lower region of the edge 34 of the container insert 33 and the edge 32 of the container wall 31 overlap each other. The rib portions 41 which project in the lower region at the edge 34 of the container insert 33 form together with the inwardly projecting beaded rim 39 of the container wall 31 a positive-locking connection of these portions with respect to translational movements in the direction of the container axis A. The recesses 43 at the edge 34 of the container insert 33 and the projections 44 at the edge 32 or at the beaded rim 39 of the container wall 31 bring about a positive-locking, rotationally secure connection of the container insert 33 to the container wall 31.

In order to connect the cover 5 to the container 3 in a manner which can be released again, the container insert 33 comprises a first closure connection 35 and the cover insert 53 comprises a second closure connection 55 which cooperates therewith. In the embodiments of the canister 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8, the first closure connection 35 is a threaded rib of an outer thread which is formed in the upper region at the outer side of the edge 34 and the second closure connection 55 is a threaded rib of an inner thread which is formed in the upper region at the inner side of the edge 54. The closure accordingly comprises a screw thread. Alternatively, the closure can also be formed in any other manner. In canisters 1 according to FIGS. 9 to 17, the cover 5 is connected to the container 3, for example, by pressing in an axial direction. As a result of overlapping regions of the container insert 33 and the cover insert 53, the cover 5 can be connected to the container 3 in a non-positive-locking manner.

All the embodiments of the canister 1 comprise a closure securing member having at least one primary securing element 37 on the container insert 33 and at least one secondary securing element 57 which cooperates with the primary securing element 37 on the cover insert 53. When the cover 5 is closed, these securing elements 37, 57 lock in a positive-locking manner with each other at the latest when the closed position is reached with respect to the respective direction of the closure movement. Preferably, each secondary securing element 57 is resiliently deformable or is arranged on a resiliently deformable portion of the cover insert 53 and constructed so that it is urged out of the rest position thereof when the cover 5 is closed before reaching the closed position by abutting against the adjacent primary securing element 37. For this purpose, the primary securing element 37 and/or the secondary securing element 57 comprise(s) a contact face 35, 56 which is chamfered with respect to the direction of the closing movement. As soon as the obstacle has been overcome when moving into the closed position, the secondary securing element 57 springs, as a result of the resilient restoring force thereof, into a blocking position in which stop faces 38, 58 of the securing elements 37, 57 which are preferably arranged approximately orthogonally to the direction of the closing movement are opposite each other and secure the cover 3 in the closed position.

Additionally or alternatively, the primary securing elements 37 could also be resiliently deformable or be arranged on resiliently deformable portions of the container insert 33.

In the embodiments of the canister 1 illustrated, the cover insert 53 comprises two diametrically opposed secondary securing elements 57 which project at the inner side of the edge 54 downward or in the direction of the cover axis B. Alternatively, cover inserts 53 could also comprise only one or more than two, for example three, secondary securing elements 57. The cover 1 with up to three secondary securing elements 57 can readily be operated with one hand. The secondary securing elements 57 are arranged at the edge 54 of the cover insert 53 so that they do not impede the joining of the closure connections 35, 55 at the edges 34, 54. In the case of a screw thread, the secondary securing elements 57 are accordingly arranged radially outside the region with the threaded ribs.

The edge 54 of the cover insert 53 optionally comprises an elongate recess 60 above, preferably directly adjacent to each of the secondary securing elements 57. The resilient deformability of the edge 54 can thereby be facilitated in the regions with the secondary securing elements 57. Alternatively to recesses 60, the edge 54 may comprise, for example, weak locations or regions with a lower material strength. This allows a better sealing of the receiving space inside the canister 1 with respect to the environment.

The regions with the secondary securing elements 57 can be resiliently deformed by a pressing force which acts radially on these regions of the edge 54 and which is depicted by arrows P1. The secondary securing elements 57 are thereby urged out of the blocking position thereof radially inwardly into a release position so that the closure can be opened. The edge 54 can comprise a projection 65 with a slightly larger external diameter in a lower portion. At least partially, the external diameter of the projection 65 may be approximately as large as the external diameter D1 of the cover wall 51. Preferably, the external diameter of the base wall 31 also corresponds to that of the cover wall 51.

The projection 65 can be constructed annularly with an L-shaped cross-section, wherein the external leg is arranged in the region of gripping zones 67 with radial spacing from the secondary securing elements 57. When the canister 1 is closed, a primary securing element 37 of the housing insert 31 is arranged in the intermediate space between each gripping zone 67 and the associated secondary securing element 57. The radial width D3 of the intermediate space and the freedom of movement relative to the resilient deformation of the projection 65 in the region of each gripping zone 67 are at least so large that each secondary securing element 57 can be moved out of the respective blocking position into a release position by a radially inwardly directed pressing force P1 so that the closure can be opened. The secondary securing elements 57 may, for example, be constructed as studs which project at an inner portion of the projection 65 in the direction of the cover axis B, preferably not beyond the level of the lower edge of the projection 65. The cover 5 with studs which are arranged in such a protected state can be placed on level substrates in a stable manner if they are not connected to the container 3. This is advantageous both during production of the canisters and during use thereof. In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 8, the cross-section of such studs is in the form of a rectangular trapezium.

In the region of the gripping zones 67, the external diameter of the projection 65 is preferably slightly greater than in the portions adjacent thereto. The gripping zones 67 can be structured, for example, in a fluted manner or in some other manner. This means that the gripping zones 67 can be optically easily identified and can be haptically felt and it makes it easier to transmit force when opening and closing the cover 5, in particular in the case of rotary closures.

The radial projection D2 of the gripping zones 67 relative to the edge 52 of the cover wall 51 is preferably in the same order of magnitude as the displacement path of the secondary securing elements 57 or studs between the blocking position and the release position. In the case of covers 5 which can easily be operated with one hand, the external diameter D1 of the cover wall 51 is generally smaller than or equal to 10 cm, for example, from approximately 3 cm to approximately 9 cm. The projection D2 of the gripping zones 67 is preferably in the order of magnitude of from approximately 1 mm to approximately 3 mm in such covers 5.

The edge 34 of the container insert 33 comprises between the upper region with the first closure connection 35 and the lower region a flange 45, the external diameter of which preferably corresponds to the external diameter of the container wall 31. The flange 45 is located on the beaded rim 39 if the container insert 33 is connected to the container wall 31. The primary securing elements 37 are arranged in the region of the flange 45 so that the secondary securing elements 57 are locked in the blocking position when the canister 1 is closed with the primary securing elements 37 relative to the relative movement of the cover 5 and the container 3 when the closed position is reached. In canisters 1 with a screw closure, the primary securing element 37 can be arranged at the upper side of the flange 45, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 to 8, and may comprise a first leg 46 which delimits, together with an adjacent portion of the edge 34, a receiving space for the secondary securing element 57 in the closed position. At an inner side thereof, the first leg 46 comprises a recess which defines the stop face 38 and which is used to receive the secondary securing element 57 in the blocking position thereof. In addition, a second leg 47 which is arranged substantially orthogonally to the first leg 46 can delimit the rear end of the receiving space in the closing direction. The second leg 47 acts as an additional stop for the secondary securing element 57 and prevents, when the cover 1 is closed, further rotation beyond the closed position.

FIG. 8 shows a detail of the closure securing member of a canister 1 with a screw closure 1, on the left with locked securing elements 37, 57 and on the right after the securing elements 37, 57 have been unlocked by pressing on the gripping zone 67 in the direction of the arrow P1, wherein the screwing is released by rotating the cover 5 in the direction of the arrow P2.

In the canister 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cover insert 53 comprises a covering face 62.

Preferably, the container insert 33 similarly comprises a base face 42. In such canisters 1, the receiving space for the filling material is limited only by the container insert 33 and the cover insert 53. Accordingly, the filling material only comes into contact with the material at the inner sides of these inserts 33, 53. This material is generally a plastics material which can be selected according to the filling material to be received and can where applicable additionally be coated with at least one functional layer comprising another material. The properties of such canisters 1 can be adapted to the requirements of the respective filling material particularly well. In particular, in such canisters 1 the receiving space for the filling material can be readily sealed with respect to the environment when the cover 5 is closed. For this purpose, for example, a sealing lip 63 can be constructed at the inner side of the covering face 62. Alternatively or additionally, for example, the inner side of the covering face 62 or the upper rim of the edge 34 of the container insert 33 may have a sealing ring comprising resilient material, such as, for example, rubber or silicone (not illustrated). Such sealing rings are preferably injection-molded directly during the injection-molding method when the respective insert 33, 53 is produced. The materials and forms of the container wall 31 and the cover wall 51 can be selected in such canisters 1 independently of the filling material to be received. In particular, materials with recesses, such as, for example, grids or perforated sheets, can also be used to produce these components.

The embodiment of the canister 1 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 substantially in that the cover insert 53 and the base insert 33 are constructed annularly without any covering face 62 or base face 42. Optionally, there may be arranged on the upper rim and/or the lower rim of the edges 54, 34 of the cover insert 53 and/or the base insert 33 sealing rings which allow a tight connection to the adjacent portion (not illustrated).

FIG. 6 schematically shows how the annular container insert 33 of the canister 1 illustrated in FIG. 4 is connected in a positive-locking manner to a container wall 31. Since the container wall 33 can be seen from the lower side, it can be identified that the ribs 41 are arranged on a carrier ring 48 which projects at the lower side of the flange 45. The recesses 43 are regions with a slightly smaller external diameter of this carrier ring 48. Preferably, the carrier ring 48 is connected to the radially internal portion of the edge 34 in the region of the recesses 43 by reinforcement ribs 49.

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the cut-away canister 1 from FIG. 1, wherein the secondary securing element 57 is locked to the primary securing element 37.

FIGS. 9 to 12 show portions of an additional canister 1. In place of a screw closure, in this canister 1 the upper region of the edge 34 of the container insert 33 and the upper region of the edge 54 of the cover insert 53 act as closure connections 35, 55. Preferably, they comprise slightly conical contact faces in order to produce a non-positive-locking connection of the portions. In order to open and close, the cover 5 and the container 3 are drawn apart or pushed together in an axial direction A. In principle, therefore, it is simply necessary to construct the positive-locking connection between the cover wall 51 and the cover insert 53 and the positive-locking connection between the container wall 31 and the container insert 33 only in an axial direction. Optionally, the portions can also be connected to each other in a rotationally secure manner in addition.

The secondary securing elements 57 are tabs which protrude at the lower side of the projection 65 and which have radially external chamfered contact faces 56 and stop faces 58. The primary securing elements 37 comprise rectangular recesses in the flange 45, wherein the lower side of the flange 45 is a stop face 38 for the secondary securing elements 57.

FIGS. 13 to 17 show a modified embodiment of the canister 1 from FIG. 9 or portions thereof, wherein the gripping zones 67 are covered with a covering strip 69 as a tamper-proof seal or initial use protection. Each covering strip 69 is connected at least at one weak location or desired breaking location 70 to the container insert 33. Before the initial opening of the canister 1, the covering strip 69 must be separated from or torn off the container insert 33. The integral construction of a separable or divisible initial use protection on the container insert 33 has the advantage that, after the canister 1 has been filled, no additional working steps are necessary to fit a tamper-proof seal. In canisters 1 with a rotary closure, in a similar manner a tear-off element which projects, for example, into the region behind the gripping zone 67 and which prevents a rotational movement of the cover 5 by means of positive-locking connection could be constructed on the container insert 33 (not illustrated).

The forms of the container wall 31, the cover wall 51, the container insert 33 and the cover insert 53 can be predetermined freely in alternative embodiments of the canister 1 and can consequently differ from the circular form. In the case of screw connections, however, the container insert 33 and the cover insert 53 have edge portions which are adapted to each other and which have corresponding threaded ribs. 

1. A canister (1) comprising: a container (3) having a removal opening (30); a cover (5) for closing the removal opening (30); the container (3) comprises a container wall (31) and a container insert (33) which is connected to the container wall (31); the cover (5) comprises a cover wall (51) and a cover insert (53) which is connected to this cover wall (51); the container insert (33) comprises a first closure connection (35); the cover insert (53) comprises a second closure connection (55), which cooperates with the first closure connection to connect the cover (5) to the container (3) in a manner that is releasable again in a closed position; at least one primary securing element (37) arranged on the container insert; (33); and at least one secondary securing element (57) arranged on the cover insert (53) so that the primary securing element (37) and the secondary securing element (57) are locked together in a positive-locking manner in the closed position of the cover (5) and secure the cover (5) on the container (3) in the closed position.
 2. The canister (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cover insert (53) comprises a frame-shaped edge (54) which is connected in a positive-locking manner to a frame-shaped edge (52) of the cover wall (51).
 3. The canister (1) according to claim 2, wherein each said secondary securing element (57) projects downward on a lower portion of the edge (54) and is movable by resilient deformation of at least one of the edge (54) or the secondary securing element (57) from a blocking position into a release position.
 4. The canister (1) according to claim 3, wherein the edge (54) of the cover insert (53) has a projection (65) in a lower portion thereof, and the projection (65) comprises a gripping zone (67), which projects radially under the edge (52) of the cover wall (51), for each said secondary securing element (57) with radial spacing from said secondary securing element (57).
 5. The canister (1) according to claim 2, wherein the cover wall (51) is produced from metal and comprises an inwardly formed beaded rim (59), and the edge (54) of the cover insert (53) comprises structures which cooperate with the beaded rim (59) and which connect the cover insert (53) to the cover wall (51) in a positive-locking manner.
 6. The canister (1) according to claim 1, wherein the container insert (33) comprises a frame-shaped edge (34) which is connected to a frame-shaped edge (32) of the container wall (31) in a positive-locking manner, and the edge (34) of the container insert (33) comprises a flange (45) and each said primary securing element (37) is arranged in a region of the flange (34).
 7. The canister (1) according to claim 6, wherein each said primary securing element (37) comprises a leg (46) which is arranged on an upper side of the flange (45) and which delimits a receiving space for the respective secondary securing element (57) in the closed position together with an adjacent portion of the edge (34), and the leg (46) comprises at an inner side thereof a recess having a stop face (38) for the respective secondary securing element (57).
 8. The canister (1) according to claim 6, wherein each said primary securing element (37) comprises a recess in the flange (45), and a lower side of the flange (45) is a stop face (38) for the respective secondary securing element (57).
 9. The canister (1) according to claim 1, wherein the container wall (31) is produced from metal and comprises an inwardly formed beaded rim (39), and an edge (34) of the container insert (33) comprises structures which cooperate with the beaded rim (39) and which connect the container insert (33) to the container wall (31) in a positive-locking manner.
 10. The canister (1) according to claim 1, further comprising an initial use protection which prevents at least one of unlocking of the securing elements (37, 57) or opening of the cover (5) that is connected to the container insert (33) in a separable manner. 